The Handle With Care Raid
by AliasCWN
Summary: Troy is wounded and it is up to the others to get him safely to a hospital.
1. Chapter 1

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By; AliasCWN

Chapter 1

Tully and Moffitt waited by the jeeps, checking their watches ever few minutes. The other two members of their team were overdue and they were beginning to worry. In order to save time they had split into two groups to accomplish the mission; an attempt to blow Dietrich's ammunition and his armored vehicles. It was going to be light soon and they needed to get clear before the detonations alerted the Germans to their presence. Dietrich was going to be upset when he found out what they had done, to say the least.

"I see something Sarge!"

"Don't call me Sarge." Moffitt answered automatically. "Where?" He crowded closer to Tully so he could look over his shoulder.

"One o'clock. I know I saw something."

"Both of them?"

"I only saw a flash of movement. I couldn't tell what it was." Tully explained with a shake if his head. "Either they were real close together or there was only one of them…if it was even them." He studied the spot where he had seen the movement. "Maybe it wasn't them. I couldn't be sure."

"It had better be them." Moffitt answered, glancing at this watch again. "We're almost out of time."

"Something must have happened to them. Only reason they'd be this late." Tully drawled, shifting his matchstick.

"There! There I saw movement!" Moffitt whispered urgently. "Along that building next to that wagon."

Tully strained his eyes to catch any flicker of movement. The desert was dark, the stars, and moon hiding behind a thick cover of clouds. The base was dark too. Dietrich knew better than to allow lights to give away the guards' positions. The moon peeked out through a hole in the clouds for the briefest of time, casting shadows across the distance between the base and the waiting men.

A dark form ducked down next to a building looking bulky and clumsy. Both men concentrated on the spot, waiting to identify the shape until they could get another look. Hands gripping their weapons tightly, they strained their eyes for any more movement. The base alarm sounded, startling both of them. At the first blare of the siren the dark form by the building rose up and ran for the darkness outside of the base perimeter. The darkness still made it hard to be sure but both men were convinced that it was Troy or Hitchcock.

"Tully, bring a jeep! I'll give them cover until you get here."

Tully didn't answer, he just ran as hard as he could for the hidden vehicles. Grabbing the corners of the netting covering the jeep he gave it a yank. He threw the netting onto the second jeep and ran around the vehicle to slide behind the wheel. He drove back toward the base, pausing only long enough for Moffitt to leap into the back.

The 50 caliber muzzle dropped next to his shoulder and he reached up one-handed to pull the dust cover. Moffitt cleared the chamber before they broke cover and drove out into the glare of the search lights.

The guards had turned the search lights on as soon as the siren blared. At first they had searched the ground inside the base. Seeing nothing to cause alarm, they had turned their beams to light up the open area around the perimeter of the base. Their lights had caught the movement racing toward the darkness beyond their reach. A few warning shots from a machine gun had stopped the runner.

Tully and Moffitt burst from cover to see Hitch standing facing the search lights. The limp form of Sergeant Troy hung across his shoulder. He still held his weapon, watching a small group of German soldiers racing to overtake him.

The Germans paused when they saw the jeep. Forgetting Hitch and Troy for the moment, they aimed at Tully and Moffitt.

Moffitt's 50 caliber machine gun cut them down where they stood bunched together. With any survivors ducking for cover, Moffitt turned his gun on the soldiers along the base wall. Hitch fired a burst at one in particular before he turned to run again.

Tully brought the jeep to a sliding stop next to his teammate. Using another machine gun to help give them cover, he waited as Hitch gently placed Troy in the front seat next to Tully. Hitch jumped onto the hood and the jeep took off in a burst of speed. Moffitt continued to fire the 50 to keep the Germans busy. Gunfire from the Germans followed them into the darkness beyond the search lights. The motor of the jeep was so quiet that the Germans could no longer hear it or follow its progress and they soon lost track of it.

Tully drove back to the other jeep and helped Hitch uncover it while Moffitt took a quick look at Troy.

"How is he Doc?"

Moffitt looked up from the other sergeant and frowned. "Bad; the bleeding hasn't stopped. Get us out of here and find us a place where I can bandage it."

"Right Sarge." Hitch nodded, climbing into this jeep and taking off in a hurry. Behind them the charges they had planted began to detonate. Some of the blasts seemed to come from closer than the base.

"Sounds like they found some of the charges on the halftracks the hard way." Moffitt yelled over the wind as they drove.

Tully nodded that he heard but he didn't bother to answer. As far as he was concerned that just meant fewer Germans to chase them. He glanced over at his unconscious passenger and pressed harder on the gas pedal.

As the sound of pursuit fell behind them Moffitt reached forward and steadied Troy. The other sergeant was swaying dangerously in his seat, nearly falling out every time Tully swerved around a rock or hole. Tully was doing his best to avoid any fast moves or bumps but night driving was inherently dangerous, even without a wounded passenger.

"Hitch, I think we lost them! Find us a place to stop!"

The blond slowed and began to look for a suitable spot. They drove on for another mile before he swerved off the road and headed across the open desert. A few hundred yards off the road they came to a stand of boulders atop a hill that were large enough to hide two small jeeps.

"What happened?" Moffitt demanded as soon as the jeeps stopped.

Hitch jumped from his jeep and ran to the side of his wounded sergeant. "We finished planting our charges and were on our way back when a couple of guards decided to sneak off for a smoke. We had to wait for them to finish their cigarettes; only they hung around and talked for a few minutes after they were done." Hitch explained, his eyes on the lax form of his sergeant. "Sarge said we had to hurry or we'd get trapped on the base. We were coming around a corner, Sarge was leading, and this soldier stepped out of a door. Sarge jumped him and knocked him to the ground but he pulled a knife. He stabbed Sarge before I could get around Sarge to help. I dumped his body in an alley and carried Sarge the rest of the way." Hitch sent a beseeching look at the British sergeant. "He's going to be all right isn't he?"

Moffitt didn't look up from his task as he answered. "The bleeding has stopped but I don't know how much internal damage was done. All I can do is bandage it up and try to control any fever until we can get him to a real doctor. I gave him some sulfa to help prevent infection and a little morphine to keep him comfortable. We'll get him to a hospital as soon as we can."

"I should have reacted faster." Hitch moaned.

"I'm sure that you did your best Hitch. I have no doubt that Troy would say the same if he were awake."

"He's got to be okay Doc." The blond groaned.

Moffitt glanced over at the worried private. He couldn't see too well in the darkness but he was sure the young soldier was close to tears. "Why don't you go stand guard while Tully and I do what we can?"

"All right Doc, I won't let anybody sneak up on us."

"I'm sure you won't Hitch. I'll call you when we are ready to leave."

The blond nodded and took a machine gun to climb onto one of the boulders. Straining to see into the dark desert, he listened and watched for any visitors that weren't welcome.

"Tully, bring the light a little closer."

Tully stepped closer with the flashlight. Using his jacket, he shielded the light so that it couldn't be seen outside of the boulders.

"A little to your left Tully, I need to see if there are any more cuts."

Tully shifted the light. Troy's shirt was soaked in blood and it was hard to tell if there was one wound or several. Hitch had only reported one but in a knife fight in the dark, he may have missed seeing one. Moffitt moved Troy's shirt, looking for holes in the material.

"I think Hitch is right, it looks like only one wound."

Tully sighed. It looked like an awful lot of blood for a single knife wound. "Will he be all right then?"

"I don't know Tully." Moffitt responded with a shake of his head. "I've bandaged it and the bleeding has stopped. I just don't know what will happen now. Troy is strong and you know how stubborn he can be." The British sergeant wet his hands and cleaned them. He repacked the medical kit and stowed it under the jeep seat.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 2

Hitch stopped next to the jeep to stare down at his sergeant. Troy was still unconscious.

"We'll keep him in our jeep so that I can support him." Moffitt explained, stepping back so that Hitch could check on the sergeant.

Hitch nodded wordlessly and went to his jeep. He wasn't about to argue with Moffitt. Sarge was better off in Tully's jeep. Hitch knew the others would take good care of him.

He knew his facial expression had revealed his worry; he just hoped it hadn't revealed the guilt he felt. Moffitt hadn't blamed him and seemed convinced that Troy wouldn't either, but he blamed himself. In his head Hitch knew he had done everything right. They all knew the risks they took. Every one of them was capable of taking care of themselves. Getting hurt on a mission was an acceptable risk, one they took every time they left the base. They even expected someone to get hurt from time to time. Hitch knew all about that because he was usually the one who got hurt. He wasn't careless, or clumsy, or even reckless, he just had a tendency to be unfortunate enough to be the one to get wounded. But the others always took care of him, making sure he was safe and got the help he needed.

His head said he had done what needed to be done; he had killed the German and carried Troy to safety. He had needed Tully and Moffitt's help at the end but he had done his best. He had gotten Troy far enough that the others were in a position to help. They would get the sergeant to a doctor. He knew that without a doubt; but he kept hearing Moffitt's voice saying 'I don't know.' Troy had to make it, he just had to!

Hitch went to keep watch. As he stood on the top of the boulder and stared out over the desert he thought about Troy.

He knew he had been the cause of a lot of worry for the sergeant. Every time he got hurt he could see the worry on the sergeant's face. When the shrapnel had hit him in the belly, ending up next to an artery, the sergeant had insisted on taking him to a German field hospital for medical care. The other two had insisted on going along, but the original idea had been Troy's. Troy had even been willing to face the danger alone to get him help.

It was Troy who had killed the German soldiers in the ammo depo after they had shot him with an arrow. And Troy who had helped him back to the building after he got shot going after a trapped dog.

He had helped to save Troy from a court martial but only after he had gotten hurt and left Troy to guard Colonel Beckman and Captain Seidel alone. The sergeant wouldn't have been in that situation if he hadn't let him down in the first place.

They counted on each other for their very survival. It wasn't just the assignments, or the fact that they were assigned to the same unit. Troy took care of them, all of them. Hitch began to wonder what would happen to them if Troy didn't survive. He didn't want to think about it, the sergeant was a friend, a close friend, and he didn't want to lose him.

As he stood looking out over the desert he thought about the other soldiers he occasionally worked with or socialized with in the desert campaign. They mostly seemed content to be where they were. It seemed to him that it would be boring to sit around waiting for something to happen. Waiting for an attack on the base or for the Allied command to launch an attack on the Germans was not for him. He liked the action, the freedom to roam the desert and look for the enemy, not wait for them to find him. Being assigned to the Rat Patrol was so much better than he had ever expected. He liked and respected every other man in the unit. They were like the brothers he had never had. They might get on each other's nerves from time to time but he always knew that they had his back no matter what.

He smiled as he thought of Troy. The sergeant could be gruff and bossy, demanding even, but he never pushed the others as hard as he pushed himself. Hitch glanced back toward the jeep and said a prayer that Troy would survive. He could hear Moffitt speaking to Tully in a low tone.

Turning back to the desert, Hitch was determined to make sure that no one caught them off guard. If anyone was out there, he would make sure that they had time to get Troy in the clear.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 3

Tully pulled into the wadi behind Hitch and shut off his motor. He jumped from his jeep and reached for a flashlight as Moffitt reached under the seat for the medical kit. Moffitt had barely reached Troy's side before Tully was there with the light.

"What happened?" Moffitt demanded.

Hitch explained what had transpired in the German base and how he had carried Troy to safety.

"I should have reacted faster." Hitch moaned.

Tully wanted to tell Hitch it was all right, but Moffitt beat him to it. Moffitt tried to reassure Hitch that he had done his best but Tully could tell that Hitch wasn't convinced. Tully could tell from his expression that the blond was feeling guilty and Moffitt's assurances had fallen on deaf ears. He wanted to follow Hitch and talk to him but Moffitt needed help and someone had to stand guard.

"Tully, bring the light a little closer."

Tully followed Moffitt's instructions, moving the light closer so that the sergeant could see the wound better.

Moffitt decided that there was only one wound, which was definitely a good thing, but there was a lot of blood.

"Will he be all right then?"

"I don't know Tully." Moffitt answered.

Tully chewed on his matchstick and watched as Moffitt tied off the last of the bandage and reached for the med kit.

Tully maintained his silence as Moffitt cleaned his hands and took a deep breath. If the expression on his usually calm face was any indication, Troy's condition was serious.

"I'll watch him if you want to take a break and relax Doc."

"Thank you Tully, perhaps I will rest for a few minutes. I am a little tense."

Tully returned the sergeant's quick smile and settled on the ground next to Troy to keep a close eye on him. He glanced up at Hitch on guard and sighed. Troy needed him, they couldn't leave the wounded man alone, but Moffitt looked like he needed a few minutes to collect himself.

Tully knew from past experience that Moffitt put a lot of himself into the care he gave the others. Even though he wasn't a medical doctor, the job of the medic usually fell to him. They could all handle the minor stuff, or the grunt work of carrying the wounded, but it was Moffitt who usually dug out the bullets, or stitched up the cuts until they could reach a hospital or aid station.

Hitch moved and Tully glanced his way again. He knew his buddy was hurting. Not wounded, but hurting just the same. He knew if it were him instead of Hitch, he'd probably be feeling the same way. They both knew that things happened and there was no way that you could prevent everything, but you still felt guilty when you failed to keep someone else safe.

As the minutes ticked by Tully chafed at the passage of time. There were so many things that he wanted to happen and none of them had come to pass. Troy hadn't opened his eyes; Moffitt hadn't returned to Troy's side with a hopeful expression on his face; and Hitch hadn't spoken a word, not even to ask how Troy was doing.

If Troy didn't wake up Moffitt wouldn't want to move him. It was a pretty safe bet that they wouldn't move him any time soon unless he woke up. Of course, after so long, they wouldn't have a choice in the matter, they would have to get him to a hospital. But Moffitt would wait, giving Troy a chance to rest and start his recovery.

Tully didn't mind waiting. They were fairly well hidden. They could rig a shelter when the sun came up to give Troy shade. They had done it plenty of times before. The trouble was, Doc had said that there might be some internal hemorrhaging, and that sounded bad. Tully trusted Moffitt's judgement, but he'd feel a whole lot better when they had the sergeant in a hospital under the care of real doctors and nurses.

And Moffitt was still sitting in the jeep looking a bit shook up. Troy and Moffitt were close, they not only shared the responsibility of a shared command, but they shared the weight of keeping everyone safe. Tully knew it, and appreciated it.

He did his best to keep them safe too, and he knew Hitch did the same. Tully took another quick look in the other private's direction. Hitch was staring out into the desert with his back to them. Tully couldn't see his face but he was pretty sure that Hitch was looking worried. He wanted to go talk to his buddy, to try to reassure him. Hitch would figure it out on his own if left alone, but in the meantime he would tear himself apart wondering what he could have done differently. Tully understood, he'd done the same thing when it had been Moffitt who got hurt. Heck, he did it every time any of the others got hurt. He had done it back home too. Pa used to tell him that feeling guilty when someone else got hurt was just another way of showing that you cared. He supposed Pa was right, he usually was, but that didn't make it any easier. The only thing that he'd found that helped was talking it out. That's what Hitch needed right now, only Moffitt needed some time alone first. So Tully sat by Troy and tried to curb his impatience.

Doc's assessment of Troy's condition wasn't very encouraging. The Brit was usually brutally honest because he didn't want to give false hope. Tully thought that it might also be Moffitt's way of dealing with his own concerns. If he accepted the worst outcome right from the beginning it gave him more time to come to terms with the outcome. If it came to be he was mentally prepared and if he was wrong, he could still feel good about it. Tully wasn't sure how it was working out for the sergeant since they had all managed to survive so far. He really hoped that Troy wasn't going to ruin their perfect record.

Sitting by Troy's side, Tully tried to remember what it had been like before he joined the Rat Patrol. He remembered thinking that the Rat Patrol was nothing like what he had expected; it was better, much better. Like the others, he liked the action. Sitting around waiting for something to happen had never been his idea of fun. He'd joined the army to fight, not sit around, or drill all day. Troy had always made sure that they got plenty of action.

Tully smiled as he thought about all of the stories he could tell his kids and grandkids after the war was over. They wouldn't believe half of them, he was sure. He couldn't believe some of the things that he had done, and he had lived it! He had really lucked out when he had drawn Troy as his sergeant. There was no other sergeant in the whole army that he'd rather follow. Moffitt and Hitch were pretty great too and he was glad to be serving with them too. The four of them worked so well together that he doubted that he would ever find another unit that worked nearly as well.

The thought sobered him as he realized that if Troy didn't survive, the Rat Patrol might not survive either. Without Troy, the British might decide to recall Moffitt to his old unit. He might get to stay with Hitch but they would most likely be reassigned. The chance of another unit like the Rat Patrol was remote at best. There just wasn't another unit like it out there.

"Tully."

"Tully looked up to see Moffitt standing over him. He hadn't even heard the sergeant's approach.

"I'll sit with Troy if you want to stretch your legs. Maybe check the jeeps and fill the gas tanks."

"Yeah Sarge, I'll do that. Then if it's okay with you I'll go check on Hitch, maybe he wants to talk."

Moffitt nodded and waited for Tully to rise. Taking Tully's place, he sat down next to Troy.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 4

Moffitt settled on the ground next to Troy and used the flashlight that Tully had left behind to check the bandages. They were still white, showing no sign that the bleeding had resumed. Taking the edge of the blanket, Moffitt tucked it around Troy's still form.

Seeing Hitch running toward them with Troy over his shoulder had been a shock. Seeing Troy carrying Hitch would have been a surprise but somehow it wouldn't have been as shocking as seeing Troy incapacitated. The sight had caused him to hesitate, just for a few seconds, but those few seconds could have been deadly for Troy or Hitch, or both. Thankfully Tully hadn't paused at all; he had driven straight at the Germans and drawn their attention. If Troy or Hitch had gotten hit because of his hesitation Moffitt wasn't sure he could ever have forgiven himself.

That thought sent his mind in the direction of their youngest member. He knew Hitch was standing guard anxiously awaiting word on Troy. He just didn't have anything new to tell him. He'd already said that he didn't know if the other sergeant would survive; that hadn't changed, and he didn't feel like talking about it in any more detail.

Hitch hadn't asked again, perhaps afraid to hear the answer. He stood with his back to them, watching the desert, or what he could see of it in the dark. Even when he turned to check the terrain on the other side of them he avoided looking down at the jeeps.

Moffitt knew he should try to reassure their youngest member, he just didn't know what to say. He'd already told him that it wasn't his fault. He had assured him that everyone knew that he had done his best. It hadn't changed the way that Hitch felt, he knew that too. With a heavy sigh he wondered what else he could say that might help. Saying that Troy was going to be fine would help, but he couldn't honestly say that, and he refused to lie to any member of his team.

He recalled his first encounter with the others, when Colonel Quint had told them that they would be working together. He had felt like such an outsider then, and he had been. Troy had been very vocal in his belief that it was knowing his men, how they thought, how they reacted in any given situation, that kept them alive. Moffitt had thought at the time that he understood what Troy meant. But he had been wrong; he hadn't had a clue, not really. Troy and the two privates had taught him what teamwork really was, about trust, and how it affected everything they did. It even affected how they thought. He had never realized that such a connection existed. He couldn't imagine going back to his old unit, not after getting so close to Troy, Tully, and Hitch.

If Troy died, and he couldn't convince himself that that wasn't a very real possibility, he wondered what would happen to the two privates. He supposed he could always find undercover work or some such thing. The British army could always use a man with his skills, especially his knowledge of the German language. He worried about the privates. There was no guarantee that they would be able to stay together. Who would watch over them? Who would care enough to make sure that they weren't considered expendable?

"Troy old man, you'd better not die on me, on us, we need you." Moffitt whispered to the unconscious man.

He heard Tully lift the hood on one of the jeeps and he thought about what Tully had said. He would check the jeeps and then go check on Hitch. Moffitt let himself off the hook about talking to the young soldier. Tully could reach Hitch better than he could. The two of them shared as much as he and Troy. Tully would have a much better idea about what to say. It wasn't that he didn't talk, or share experiences with Hitch, he did. It was just that Tully and Hitch seemed to think alike when it came to their responsibilities. Troy told them that they weren't responsible for him, but they had their own ideas. Moffitt smiled as he thought about it. He thought that the two younger 'rats' thought that they needed to watch out for their sergeants just as he and Troy felt that they needed to watch out for the privates.

It was all part of that teamwork that Troy insisted was so vital to their survival. Even Troy had given up on trying to convince the privates that they were being overly protective. Usually Troy just pretended that he didn't notice.

That brought Moffitt's thoughts full circle. He turned the flashlight back on to get another look at Troy. He felt a little warm but he didn't seem to be running a fever yet. He was still unconscious and that worried Moffitt a bit. He rose from the ground to get another blanket from the jeep. Rolling the blanket into a bundle, he elevated the wounded man's feet.

"Doc? How is he?"

Hitch's call wasn't unexpected. Moffitt was just surprised that Hitch had held off as long as he had.

"He's still unconscious Hitch" Moffitt called back.

"Isn't there any change at all?"

"No, not yet."

Hitch fell silent but Moffitt could see the discouraged slump of his shoulders at the news. The private was still keeping watch, making sure that no one snuck up on them.

"It's going to be light soon." Hitch hesitated. "Are we going to try to move him to a hospital?" The blond didn't turn to look toward the jeeps as he asked the question.

"We may have to move him, even if he doesn't regain consciousness. Hopefully he'll wake up before we have to make that decision. His body needs the rest right now; he'll come around when he's ready." Moffitt allowed a little of his own hope seep into his tone. He didn't have the heart to completely dash the younger man's hope. "Do you need a break? I can take over on guard if you want."

"No Doc, you stay with Sarge, I got this."

Moffitt wasn't surprised at Hitch's answer. They all did what they could for each other. Tully was busy with the jeeps and he was the unofficial medic, so Hitch would stay on guard.

"I've checked the jeeps and they're ready to go when we are Doc." Tully stopped next to him and looked down at Troy. "I'm going to go talk to Hitch for a few minutes, and then I'll see what we have in the jeeps to eat."

Moffitt nodded, grateful for Tully's initiative. Troy was the only one hurt but somehow they all seemed wounded; there was that teamwork again.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 5

"Hey Hitch."

"Yeah Tully, come on up."

"You okay?"

"Sure." Hitch nodded, giving Tully a questioning look. "I wasn't hurt, just Sarge."

"I know." Tully answered, shifting his matchstick. "That's not what I meant."

Hitch didn't answer right away. He stared off into the distance and let the silence hang between them.

"Here." Tully handed Hitch a piece of wrapped gum. "I noticed that you didn't have any in your mouth."

"I ran out." Hitch replied as he took the gum and unwrapped it. Popping it into his mouth, he eyed Tully suspiciously. "Where'd you get this?"

"I always carry one piece for emergencies."

"But you don't chew gum." Hitch answered.

"I'm not the only one who can have an emergency." Tully smiled. "I carry some extra tea for Doc and some cigarettes for Troy. We all have our little ways of calming our emotions; yours is gum."

"Thanks." Hitch answered, smiling as he lowered his head.

Tully couldn't see his face but he knew Hitch was probably red-faced at the moment. "This wasn't your fault, you know that right?"

"Yeah Tully, I know. I did everything I could. I got Sarge out of there after I killed the kraut. We got him to a safe place so Doc could work on him. Now I'm keeping watch so that he can rest. Tomorrow we'll find the closest hospital and take him there so he can get fixed up." Hitch stated all of the things that they had done or would be doing. "So why do I still feel so guilty? Why do I feel like I let him down?" There was a catch in his voice as Hitch asked the question.

Tully sighed. "I guess because you care." He tried to get Hitch to meet his eyes. "My Pa says that when we care we should let it show. Don't be ashamed of caring Hitch. Worrying about Sarge, that means you care. Feeling guilty, even when there's no reason for it, is just another way of letting it show."

"Well it stinks!"

Tully laughed. "Yeah it does." He leaned against a rock and stared off into the desert. "We can't keep everyone safe Hitch. We do our best, that's all we can do. There are going to be times when our best isn't good enough, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Is this going to be one of those times?" Hitch asked fearfully.

"I don't know." Tully shrugged. "I guess all we can do is wait and find out. Doc is doing his best."

"I know that!" Hitch exclaimed.

"So all we can do is our best. We'll do what we can, let Doc do what he can, and see if Troy can beat this. He's a fighter. It can't hurt to do a little praying too." Tully glanced back over at his best friend. "No matter what happens, you know what Troy would tell you."

"Yeah, he'd say it wasn't my fault and tell me to get over it." Hitch smiled, he could almost hear the sergeant's gruff voice telling him to let it go.

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Good, 'cause I have to go see if I can find us something to eat." Tully announced.

"I might not be so fine after eating those rations again." Hitch teased.

Tully smiled. "I think we have some of your favorites with us. I'll see if I can dig them out."

"Thanks Tully."

"Don't thank me, thank the good old U.S. Army; they're the ones who blessed us with these fine meals." Tully laughed, deliberately misunderstanding the reason for the thanks.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to thank Uncle Sam when I get home." Hitch growled.

"I'll bring it up when it's ready."

Hitch nodded and went back to watching the desert.

"Is he all right?" Moffitt asked when Tully returned to the jeeps to find the rations.

"Yeah, he will be." Tully answered with a smile. "He's just worried, we all are."

"I think he's breathing a little easier." Moffitt looked toward Troy. "Waiting until morning was the right decision."

"Not only that but we would have put the jeeps at risk in the dark." Tully pointed out.

"Is Hitch okay with waiting?"

"Hitch? He'd take him straight in if he thought that it would help, but he's smart enough to know that driving in the dark would have only made things worse. It's only another hour or two. He wants to get him to a doctor but he wants to get him there alive. Neither one of us is second guessing your decisions Doc."

"Thank you Tully, I just wish I was as sure of my decisions."

Tully smiled. "Go with your gut Doc, it's kept us alive so far." He turned away to open the packets of rations for their meals. Using shavings from the dynamite he started a fire just big enough to heat the meals. He dumped the packets into the pan and added water. Within minutes the smell of food filled the air. Tully kicked sand over the fire and grinned at Moffitt. "We don't need anyone seeing the glow or smell the smoke." He grinned at Moffitt as he handed him a plate of food. "I'll take mine up and eat with Hitch. I'll be back as soon as I'm done to pack up and clean up our supplies."

Moffitt nodded his understanding as Tully turned away.

"Tully!"

Hitch's hushed call got the attention of both men.

"There's something moving out there."

Tully put the plates of food on the hood of the jeep and exchanged them for a machine gun. He tossed another weapon to Moffitt before he moved up the hill to join Hitch.

"What is it?"

"I don't know." Hitch whispered back, pointing toward some distant dunes. "I just caught a flicker of movement over there. I saw it once but I haven't seen anything since."

"Arabs?"

"Too far to tell." Hitch responded. "And it was so quick that I really couldn't make out any details."

"All right." Tully nodded. "I'm going to go see if Moffitt wants to put Troy back in the jeep. That way if we have to run we'll be ready."

"Be careful with him." Hitch warned.

Tully nodded, not pointing out that the warning was unnecessary. "Call if you see anything else."

"Right."

Moffitt was kneeling by Troy with his machine gun in his hands.

"What was it?"

"Don't know." Tully whispered with a shrug of his shoulders. He slipped his matchstick to the other side of his mouth and nodded toward Troy. "Do you think we should put him in a jeep just in case we have to leave in a hurry?"

Moffitt glanced down at his patient and nodded. "If we're attacked we may not have time to do it later. Let's put him in Hitch's jeep. If we have trouble Hitch can make a run for it while we give them cover."

"Where is the nearest hospital?"

"Our base is the nearest one."

"We'll let Hitch know. He can find his way home without us if he has to." Tully replied.

Being careful not to pull on the knife wound, they soon had Troy settled into the back of his jeep. Moffitt picked up his machine gun after tucking the blankets closely around his wounded friend. "Now where did Hitch see this movement?"

Tully took Moffitt to the edge of the wadi and pointed out the dunes where Hitch had seen the movement. Moffitt studied the area and searched for any sign of activity. Nothing moved under the cover of the cloudy sky. Both men strained to hear any sounds. While men could move quietly, they still made small sounds that could be heard if you knew how to do it. Moffitt pressed his ear to the sands and listened.

"There is something moving out there." The sergeant announced. "It's faint but it's definitely moving this way."

"I can't see anything." Tully whispered.

"I don't see anything either." Moffitt admitted. "But I can hear the trickle of sand as its disturbed. Unfortunately I can't tell who's out there or how many are there."

Tully waited as Moffitt considered their options.

"Have Hitch come down here and stay with Troy. If he spots anything he can take Troy and his jeep and run for it. I think that you and I should move out a little further and see if we can determine who is out there."

"I'll tell him." Tully jumped to his feet and went to talk to Hitch. He returned a minute later and Moffitt turned to see Hitch climbing into his jeep. The blond cast a worried look at Troy's still form before he looked at Moffitt and gave him a small nod.

"No one will get to Sarge if Hitch can help it." Tully drawled quietly.

"Let's go out a bit and see if we can spot our visitors." Moffitt answered with a nod. With a small wave at Hitch Moffitt led the way to the base of a small hill closer to the dune where Hitch had seen the movement. The two of them began to claw their way to the top. Moffitt glanced up at the sky. "It's going to be light soon; we don't want to get caught too far from the jeeps."

Tully kept silent, content to let Moffitt make the decisions. The British sergeant was the desert expert, and Tully often wondered if he would ever be able to match the other man's skills in the ever shifting sands. Even Troy had been known, on numerous occasions, to defer to the other sergeant's expertise. And it was true that Moffitt was now the one in charge until Troy got back on his feet.

With a jerk of his head Moffitt indicated that he wanted to circle around the dune. Tully nodded and followed, trying to keep up in the loose sand on the steep slope. Tully was sure-footed but he thought that Moffitt must be part mountain goat the way he scurried around the side of the dune. He was so busy trying to copy the sergeant's movements that he was around the hill before he realized it.

On the other side of the hill they again studied the area where Hitch had seen the movement. Neither of them could see anything that didn't appear natural for the desert. There was no movement there now. They stayed there for several minutes as the sky began to lighten with the arrival of morning. Still nothing caught their eyes.

"Maybe Hitch was tired and imagined it." Moffitt suggested.

"He seemed pretty sure that he saw something." Tully argued. "He couldn't say what, but he seemed sure that there was something out here."

"I don't see anything Tully. If there was anything out here I think we would have seen some sign by now."

"But you said you heard something Doc."

"Perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps it was only an animal, or rocks rolling down the slope."

"Okay Doc, if you say so." Tully drawled in relief. "We'd better get back and tell Hitch."

As they started to turn to go back shots rang out from the wadi where they had left Hitch and Troy.

.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 6

Tully turned startled eyes toward Moffitt. The sergeant cursed under his breath and stood up to run around the dune. Tully followed, no longer trying for silence or concealment. The two men ran as hard as they could for the wadi where the shots had been fired.

The trip back seemed longer than the trip out even though they were no longer sneaking. The sun was starting to rise above the horizon and the black of night was giving way to the gray of dawn.

Despite their worry, neither man was foolish enough to go rushing in without knowing what they faced. So far they had only heard one shooter but the others could be holding their fire until they were in a better position. Maybe the shots were a trick to draw them in where they could be captured or killed.

Tully worried that whoever was there would try to surround Hitch and put him in an impossible position to defend. It was getting lighter but it still wasn't light enough to see into the shadows around the wadi. Tully strained to see through the gloom to try to spot any movement that would tell him where the enemy was hiding.

Moffitt dove to the ground in front of him and brought up his weapon to fire. Tully dropped beside him but he didn't have a target that he could see.

"Over there." Moffitt pointed. "I saw something move but it disappeared between the boulders before I could tell what it was. All I got was a quick glimpse."

"You don't think it was Hitch do you?"

"No." Moffitt shook his head. "Hitch won't leave Troy."

"So let's go see what's out there." Tully suggested.

"We have to be careful. I think it was Hitch doing the shooting. I don't think we should go in there and surprise him. If they don't know we're here maybe we can do more good from here."

"They're liable to shoot him down before we can help." Tully argued.

"Hitch will take cover between the jeeps. Let's move slow and see what it is we're dealing with here. No one has returned fire so maybe they want to take them alive."

"I hope you're right Doc." Tully answered, ready to follow the sergeant.

"Not nearly as much as I do Tully. If they die, it's on me."

"No." Tully disagreed. "You are doing your best Doc, that's all any of us can do."

Moffitt gave Tully a quick smile of thanks before he led the way to the wadi. Crawling on their stomachs, they approached cautiously until they could see down into the area where the jeeps sat.

Tully tapped the sergeant on the leg and pointed toward some shadows near the top of the wadi. He knew he'd seen movement but it was gone before his mind could register the image. Puzzled, Tully searched the shadows, trying to figure out how it had disappeared so quickly. He caught another brief flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. "Doc?" He gasped in exasperation.

"Hitch, we're coming in!" Moffitt called loudly.

"Come on in Doc but watch your back." Hitch called back.

Moffitt motioned for Tully to follow and he rose to run for the wadi. Tully followed, watching every shadow they passed, expecting someone to jump out at them.

"Doc?" Tully called in confusion as Moffitt ran headlong into the wadi.

"Jackals Tully, I saw jackals."

Tully's eyes widened and he ran harder for the jeeps. As they passed some rocks a dark shape jumped out at Moffitt from a crevice above them.

Moffitt dropped and it sailed over his body where Tully shot it in mid-air. When it landed it didn't show any of its natural grace, it just flopped on the ground and lay still. Tully jumped the still form and helped Moffitt to his feet.

"Tully!"

Tully twisted as two more of the desert scavengers ran toward him. He fired a quick burst from his machine gun that caught both of them across the chest. He didn't wait to see if they were dead or not, he just ran.

When they reached the jeeps they found Hitch standing next to them with two dead jackals at his feet. Blood splattered the front of his uniform and his face. There was a wild look in his eyes as he tried to watch all around him at once.

With the arrival of Tully and Moffitt, the jackals abandoned the attack and loped off into the strengthening morning light.

"What happened? Are you all right?" Moffitt demanded answers as he rushed to check on Troy.

"After you left I got out of the jeep to check on Sarge. I heard a noise behind me and when I turned around there were a couple of those jackals standing about six feet away snarling at me. I tried to chase them off but then I heard more of them in front of the jeeps. When I looked around there was one of them on the hood of the jeep eating the food that Tully left there. Then another one jumped up and they started fighting over the plates. I twisted around just in time to shoot the ones behind me when they attacked. The gunfire scared the others off but they only ran a little way. I think they smelled the blood, either that or they really liked those rations." Hitch tried to force a smile to hide his shaken nerves. "I guess you just can't account for tastes."

"That's probably what drew them." Moffitt nodded. "They probably smelled the food cooking. When they came to investigate and found you alone, well, the rest is history as they say."

"I would have let them have the food." Hitch answered in a shaky voice. "But Sarge was another matter. I wasn't going to let them anywhere near him."

"A wise decision." Moffitt agreed. "They are scavengers and will eat anything they find lying around, but in packs like these, they have been known to attack and kill for food. Troy wouldn't have had a chance if you hadn't been here to protect him."'

Hitch nodded, looking relieved. "I wasn't going to let anything happen to Sarge."

Moffitt looked at Hitch closely for the first time. "Are you all right Hitch? What is all of that blood on your face?"

"Doc." Tully called before Hitch could answer.

"Yes Tully?"

"Do you hear that?"

Moffitt paused to listen. It only took a moment to catch the sound that had drawn Tully's attention. "Sounds like halftracks." The sergeant confirmed. "Hitch, I think the jackals have gone but you stay here just in case. Tully, I think we need to find out where those halftracks are headed."

"They may have heard the shots."

"It's possible."

"I had to shoot Doc; I couldn't fight them off with a knife." Hitch sounded desperate.

"It's all right Hitch. We'll deal with them if we have to, I planned on moving Troy as soon as it was light anyway."

Hitch waited next to the jeeps as Tully and Moffitt again went in search of the enemy. The sky was lighter now and Moffitt could see fairly well for a short distance. Fortunately for them, halftracks are easy to track by sound alone. By the time they reached the top of the wadi they knew from which direction the halftracks were approaching.

"Dietrich." Moffitt announced a moment later.

"How did he follow us in the dark?" Tully asked.

"He probably just headed for our base. He knew we had a wounded man. It's possible that he even knows its Troy who is wounded. Someone might have recognized him in the light before we picked them up."

"They're headed right for us."

"They no doubt heard the shots and are coming to investigate. We can't defend this wadi against halftracks. We'd better try to sneak out."

Tully nodded and ran for the jeeps. Moffitt waited a few more heartbeats to stay and watch the armored vehicles. Something felt wrong about the way that Dietrich approached the wadi. Dropping to the ground, the sergeant pressed his ear to the sand. Jumping to his feet, he ran for the jeeps, yelling to the privates as he ran.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 7

Yelling 'go', Moffitt waved the jeeps around in a half circle. Tully took the lead, swinging around to pick up Moffitt. "Go Tully, head west!"

"But our base is east."

"So are the Germans." Moffitt yelled back. "Dietrich sent more halftracks around that way to cut off our escape. Stay clear of the dunes."

Tully cut the wheel and took a path that kept him as far from the dunes as he could get.

"Is Hitch all right to drive?"

Tully heard the question but he didn't have an answer, they hadn't gotten around to finding out how the other private ended up covered in blood.

"Tully?"

"I don't know Doc." Tully called back. " He sounded a little shaky but I think he would have said something if he couldn't drive."

"He doesn't always tell us when he's hurt."

"Sarge can't take care of himself Doc." Tully reasoned. "Hitch wouldn't risk Troy's life by keeping something like that to himself."

"I hope you're right Tully because right now we may need all of his skill to get Troy out of here."

"I hope I'm right too." Tully muttered under his breath.

Two halftracks broke cover as soon as they realized that the jeeps were avoiding the dunes. The first shell rocked Tully's jeep and covered him and Moffitt with flying sand. Tully glanced over to see Hitch taking evasive action. The second shell hit in front of them and Tully swerved sharply to avoid the new hole that suddenly appeared in his path. The third shell hit next to Hitch's jeep, sending sand and bits of rock flying in every direction. Hitch swerved and drove faster.

The gunner on the halftrack opened fire, trying to hit the darting jeeps. Moffitt cleared the chamber on his 50 and returned fire. He didn't hit the gunner but he did take out the driver. The dead driver was pulled from the seat and another soldier took his place. With the new driver the halftrack resumed the chase. The change of drivers put him behind the other halftrack.

Moffitt concentrated on the nearer of the two armored vehicles. This time he hit both the driver and the gunner. There was another pause as a new driver took the wheel. Moffitt held his fire as the jeeps outran the heavier vehicles.

Hitch, driving the first jeep, didn't stop for several miles after they lost their pursuit. Only after they had reached their own lines did he slow and look for a place to stop and check on Troy. It wasn't until Moffitt stepped back and nodded that the blond let out the breath he had been holding.

"The wound hasn't reopened and he doesn't look any worse for the excitement." The sergeant looked around at their surroundings and smiled. "We're almost back to the base. Another hour and we'll be able to get Troy a real doctor."

"The engines need to cool down." Hitch explained. "What if Dietrich decides to keep coming?"

"We're behind our lines now Hitch. I doubt very much that the Captain will risk it when he knows that the jeeps can outrun him. His only chance was to catch us off guard. If he could get ahead of us and set a trap he might risk it but right now it's more dangerous for him than it is for us."

"Okay Doc, I'll go over my jeep."

"You do that Hitch. Tully is already going over ours. I'll keep an eye out for the Captain….just in case."

"I'll take over as soon as I'm finished with the jeep."

"Hitch."

"Yeah?"

"The blood on your face and shirt….are you hurt?"

Hitch looked down at the front of his shirt and frowned. "Forgot about that Sarge. It's not mine. One of those jackals jumped at me and I shot it point blank. I guess some of the blood splattered."

Moffitt sighed with relief. "All right, check your jeep. I'll be on watch."

"Doc." Tully called softly before he walked up behind the sergeant.

Moffitt half turned and smiled at his driver.

"Sarge made it this far."

"Yes he did."

"Were you just trying to keep Hitch calm or is Troy really not any worse?"

"He doesn't seem any worse. We still have another hour to go but I'm beginning to think that he may actually make it that far."

"You had doubts?"

"Yeah Tully, I had doubts."

"You don't give yourself enough credit Doc."

"For what Tully?"

"Some of us have been seriously hurt, and you're the only doctor we have with us."

"Yes?"

"We're all alive Doc; you must be doing something right."

"I worry you know."

"We all do Sarge, but not about you taking care of us. We all know you do your best, and you put your heart in it every time. We're all good with that."

"What if it's not enough?"

"Someday it might not be." Tully shrugged. "We know that too. If that day ever comes, we'll just have to deal with it and move on."

"Just like that?"

"Nobody said it would be easy, or painless; but what other choice do we have?"

Moffitt turned to watch Hitch as he checked on Troy before coming to take over guard duty.

"The engines will be cool enough soon and we can take Troy to the hospital." Tully smiled. "Until then, do what you do; Hitch and I will keep an eye out for Dietrich."


	8. Chapter 8

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 8

As the jeeps pulled away from the column Dietrich waved for his driver to give up the chase. He began the tedious and unpleasant task of picking up the pieces of his column.

He hadn't lost any vehicles although one halftrack had been damaged. There were several bodies sprawled on the ground and he was certain that there would be more in the vehicles. Regretfully he hadn't seen any sign that either jeep had been hit. It hadn't escaped his notice though that Sergeant Troy's jeep had been in the lead and there had been no one manning the 50. The red hat of the driver told him that it was Troy who was missing.

When one of his guards had reported that the sergeant had been wounded while escaping from the base Dietrich hadn't allowed himself to believe it. But now he was beginning to wonder. Of course, it could be another of the sergeant's tricks.

Determined to find out, the Captain waited impatiently as the dead and wounded were loaded into the vehicles. When his lieutenant reported that they were ready to travel, Dietrich ordered them back the way they had come.

"Aren't we going to follow them Captain?"

"No Lieutenant, it would be a waste of time. We are too close to their lines. With their faster vehicles all we would accomplish would be to run into an ambush they would set up. No, there will be another time when the advantage will be ours." The Captain climbed into his halftrack and prepared to move out.

As his halftrack led the way back toward the German lines Dietrich began to wonder. If Troy were wounded, what would happen now? What if the sergeant died? Would Sergeant Moffitt take over the unit?

Dietrich knew Moffitt would make a cunning and capable leader. Dietrich had no doubt that the two American privates would willingly follow him if he were to take command. Who would the Allies assign as the fourth man? British? American? The Captain remembered thinking that the Rat Patrol was finished once before; only they had added Sergeant Moffitt to their roster and had become stronger than ever. With his skills in the desert, his language skills, and his friendship with many of the desert tribes, the British sergeant had been a fortuitous addition to Troy's unit.

From the German point of view, killing either of the sergeants would be a win for their side. Dietrich felt that either of the privates could be replaced more easily than their sergeants. Yet they were skilled in their own right, bringing their individual talents to help with the team's success. All of them were experienced fighters, so why had they fired shots that they would know would carry across the desert?

Making a decision, Dietrich ordered his driver to take him to the wadi where the shots had been fired. The wadi was easy to find again, the buzzards were already beginning to circle overhead. Dietrich scanned the area, expecting to see Arabs coming to investigate the scene. If the Rat Patrol had been attacked by bandits, Dietrich didn't want to stumble upon them while they were collecting their dead. There was no doubt in his mind that Troy's small band had been defending themselves from someone or something. None of them would be careless enough to fire without a very good reason.

His driver turned into the wadi and stopped as the gangly buzzards sprang into the air. Their wide wing spans took them skyward rapidly, leaving their unfinished feast looking ragged and abandoned. Dietrich didn't want to look at the bodies; he hated what the scavengers did to a corpse. To his surprise and relief, the bodies weren't human. Jumping to the ground as his driver stopped, he walked toward the shaggy bundles of ravaged flesh.

After the buzzards had been feasting for a while it would have been impossible for him to tell how they died, but the buzzards had only had a short time to pick at their latest meals. The bullet holes were easy to identify as the cause of death.

The Captain walked forward and kicked a plate that was half buried under one of the bodies. He knelt next to the small fire and checked the ashes for warmth.

A call from one of his men drew his attention to several more dead jackals in the rocks above the camp. They too showed bullets to be the cause of their demise.

"The jackals must have been hungry Captain."

"Yes Lieutenant, but why would they attack four armed men?"

"The smell of food drove them mad." The Lieutenant suggested. "Although I did not realize that the American rations were so good that they would drive an animal wild." The Lieutenant looked almost envious.

"They are cowards Lieutenant. Perhaps their numbers gave them extra courage…or perhaps it was something else." The officer continued thoughtfully.

"Like what Captain?"

"Did you find any blood in the camp?"

"There is blood everywhere Captain. It would be impossible to tell where it all came from."

"Yet we only saw three soldiers in the jeeps."

"Perhaps they buried the other one."

Dietrich's head snapped around at the suggestion. "Have the wadi searched." He ordered. "Look for evidence of a grave."

"Yes sir, right away sir." The Lieutenant saluted and ran to carry out the order.

Dietrich's thoughts went back to Troy. If they found a grave, could he dig it up? It seemed wrong to disturb a man's final resting place. Shaking his head, Dietrich decided that if they found a grave, he would have to dig it up. No matter which one it turned out to be, they deserved to be buried with honors. He would see to it that the body was returned to the Allies for a proper burial.

He was almost relieved when no grave was found. He should have known better. Even if Troy or one of his men had been killed, the others would take him back, not bury him so close to their lines.

He began to wonder once again if it was possible that Troy was indeed wounded. If the sergeant died, his unit would return with a vengeance. If he was only wounded, the others might be reassigned until the sergeant recovered. This could be his chance to get a few convoys of supplies through. It may not be the outcome he had pictured, but it was one he was willing to use to his advantage. Calling his column together, they left the jackals for the buzzards and headed for their base.


	9. Chapter 9

**The Handle With Care Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 9

"The engines should be cool enough now Doc." Tully came down off of guard duty to stand next to Moffitt.

Moffitt was seated in the jeep watching Troy breathe.

"How is he?"

"I'll let you know after the doctors tell me." Moffitt smiled up at his driver.

"That sun is getting hot." Tully warned. "We're either going to have to move out or make Sarge some shade."

"We'll head for the hospital." Moffitt decided. "Tully…thank you."

"For what Doc?"

"For being you."

"I don't know how to be anybody else." Tully grinned.

"Hitch, we're moving out!" The sergeant called to their guard.

Hitch stopped to look at Troy before dropping his machine gun into its holster and taking his seat. This time Tully led out, looking for the smoothest path. An hour later found them within sight of the gates of the base. They rolled through unchallenged and headed straight for the hospital. Orderlies brought a stretcher and Troy disappeared behind the curtained doorways of the hospital.

"I'll report to Captain Boggs." Moffitt told Tully with a tired sigh. "I'll meet you back here after you resupply the jeeps."

"Can't they wait?" Hitch asked.

"Probably." Moffitt admitted. "But restocking them and getting them ready to go back out will take your mind off of worrying about Troy." He gave both privates a sympathetic smile. "There won't be any word for quite some time anyway."

"No news is good news." Tully stated.

"How long can it take?" Hitch asked softly.

"As long as it takes." Moffitt answered. "We don't want them to hurry and miss something do we?"

"No." Hitch mumbled. "All right, we'll meet you back here."

Three days later:

"How's he doing?" Mark Hitchcock asked the question before he even reached Troy's bed.

"See for yourself." Moffitt smiled. As he looked down at Troy, Troy turned his head to look over at his driver.

"Sarge, you're awake!"

"So they tell me." The sergeant answered weakly.

"It's about time." Tully grinned as he looked over Hitchcock's shoulder.

"I think I earned a rest." Troy protested.

"Next time take a break in your own quarters." Hitch teased, trying to copy Troy's growl.

"Who gives the orders around here?" Troy responded in a weak imitation of his usual growl.

"Moffitt." Tully and Hitch answered together.

"Okay," Troy smiled, "For now. Make sure that you don't give him a hard time."

"What's the fun in that?" Tully grinned.

"They've been very well behaved Troy." Moffitt smiled at the younger 'rats'. "I threatened to tell you if they gave me any problems. It worked like a charm."

"Are you okay Sarge? Is there anything we can do for you?" Hitch's eyes darkened with concern as Troy slumped back against the pillow.

"I'm okay, just tired, and you did plenty already. Moffitt tells me that you carried me out of Dietrich's base."

"You couldn't walk."

"Yeah, I guess not. I don't remember any of it. He told me about the jackals too."

"We can talk about that later Sarge. Right now you need to rest." Hitch interrupted with a reddening face.

Troy smiled tiredly. "Yeah, you're right, but all I wanted to say was thanks."

"You'd do the same for me. You have done more Sarge."

"And you said thanks so let me do the same." Troy responded.

"Okay Sarge."

"Well, with that out of the way, I think we need to let Troy get some sleep." Moffitt stepped around Troy's bed to join the privates in the aisle. "Captain Boggs wants to see us anyway."

"Okay Doc." Hitch answered with a quick glance at Troy. "We'll be back Sarge."

"And I'll be here when you get back." Troy answered with a yawn.

The privates turned to leave but Moffitt stopped as Troy called his name. "What is it Troy?"

"Take good care of them Moffitt."

"We'll take good care of each other." Moffitt promised.


End file.
